Greens working for peaceful progress in Northern Ireland

13 December 2006

On december 4th, the Green Party announced new party structures that will develop the Greens in Northern Ireland and enhance their chances of winning three seats at Assembly elections in March. Republic of Ireland Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent TD joined the regional co-leader of the Northern Ireland Greens John Barry and colleagues from the English Green Party in Belfast today to announce his support for the Northern Ireland Greens and sign a memorandum of understanding establishing enhanced North-South and East-West links. Romayne Phoenix, Green Party Councillor for the London borough of Lewisham, Peter Cranie, for the Greens in Wales and Scotland, and Mark Deary, Green Party Town Councillor for Dundalk, also signed the memorandum.

The Northern Ireland Greens are now a regional council of the Irish Green Party with the benefit of additional organisational and logistical resources. Reflecting the structure and reality of political decision-making in Northern Ireland following the Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Greens will also benefit from closer links with other Green parties in the UK, with whom they will work to promote Green policies in relevant UK and European legislation. A number of European Green politicians also sent messages of support.

Republic of Ireland Green Party leader Trevor Sargent TD speaking in the W5 centre in Belfast, said: "Today's development means that people throughout the island of Ireland will now have the opportunity to vote for an inclusive and progressive political party with a great record of representation and achievement in local and town councils across the UK and Ireland, in the Scottish Assembly, in the Irish Parliament and in the European Parliament. Issues such as climate change, an independent environmental protection agency, planning control, energy, organic farming and the dangers of nuclear power are of vital importance here in Northern Ireland and the people from all communities and all walks of life would be well served by a strong Green presence in the Assembly."

The co-leader of the Northern Ireland Greens John Barry added: "The Green Party is building for the future and now set to target three seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections."

Green Councillor Romayne Phoenix said "There is a unique opportunity offered by the Green agenda to create a political space where the values of inclusive democratic structures and non-violent solutions can be nurtured by the Green Party in Northern Ireland."